DIY Censorship

Public art is always difficult thing to do. You’re never going to make everyone happy. You can’t make everyone happy, but too many artists – or to be precise commissions – try and do just that. Because of that, more times than not, it’s completely uninteresting. If I had to be honest, I’d say most of it is crap. It get’s even more complicated when he artist decides to use recognizable imagery.

That said, one would think that if a mural, that’s been on the side of a building for over 12 years, in the center of Amsterdam none the less, would be old news by now. You’d think. Well, apparently not.

This morning, after a walk into town to witness the spectacle of Queen’s Day, I noticed that someone decided to express their opinion about a mural that’s literally down the street from me.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Everyone is a critic, but really, you’d think there’d be a better time to express your opinion than in broad daylight, across from a Police station, and on a National holiday.

The message.

The critic, responding to various people expressing their opinions about her critique, from their apartment windows.

The offending work, more or less in its entirety.

Do I like the work? Not really. But that’s really not the point. Is it?